Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Video Poker VP tourney strategy advice

going to the cal for first time ever tourney, two sessions with ddbonus poker machines. Usually told it had a specific number of Hands within a time limit. What do you look for? Do you take a lone ace over middle pair? Toss another pair if one of two pair is aces? Take any suited face regardless of other cards? I have played a few before and someone always gets a royal--maybe a couple of someones. Just want to make the right call.
Took it for the free 3 night offer. I like the cal and want to check out the new sports book also. Staying other 4 nights at MSS Any guidance appreciated. Expectations for tourney finish are low. Trip expectations are up there. Thanks.

You have any data on the payout structure number of entrants? Knowing that would help. I have meant to do sim work on stuff like this. But I'm also lazy. I'm even still working on my itinerary Still wanting to pencil you in somewhere for next Monday the 12th...

Generally speaking, if the paytable is very top heavy (where few places pay anything), you could argue to do a "royal-only" strategy (always going for a royal almost doubles your chances at a royal). Or a "Royal and Aces" only strategy. However, I think that's suboptimal for many tourneys because payouts aren't often super steep. If they pay anywhere near the top 20%, I don't think you would want to try those ideas.

At the least though, I'd recommend a modified DDB strategy where you take 3 to a Royal over a pair of face cards.

Royal probability with 9/6 DDB optimal strategy (except holding KTs vs. KTxs because you'd never hold 3 to a flush in a DDB tourney) is 1 in 40,281.2 and returns 98.98%

If you take all 3 to a Royal vs. KK-JJ and all 3 to a Royal vs. 4 to a flush, the royal probability will increase to 1 in 33,787.8 (a 19.2% increase) and the return depresses to 98.87%.
If you pick the lowest suited face card instead of KQ, KJ, QJ offsuit (a suggestion you made), the royal probability will increase to 1 in 38,969.9 and return depresses to 98.79%.

Doing both of these changes simultaneously, the royal probability will increase to 1 in 32,994.6 (a 22.1% increase) a and the return depresses to 98.68%.

I definitely recommend all 3 to a Royal > pair of face cards. Holding only one face card vs. two is much more marginal. Hard to fill in a royal drawing 4. But still might be worth it to add. But without more data...I really am unsure on this one.

I think more extreme measures these choices this are probably not worth the return hit if there is a flattish prize pool.

Also it's very important to be fast in these if there are many hands to be played on a short clock. You really want to complete your hands, so maybe one face is better than two. Get used to hitting the deal/draw button to skip your win count.

I played in that last year. You'll play off fifteen hundred credits in twenty minutes, so three hundred hands at the rate of 900 hands per hour. I finished with about two minutes to spare and the woman next to me finished about a minute before me. Many players didn't finish. The winners list had at least four who hit a royal. I was like two positions out of the money and skipped the awards dinner.